President Christodoulides talked over the telephone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday night, as the discussion of the European Council were on the situation in the Middle East was ongoing, to discuss a proposal for the creation of a “maritime humanitarian corridor” from Cyprus to Gaza, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said in a post on X.

During the call, the two leaders “discussed the latest developments in the region” with President Christodoulides highlighting the role that Cyprus can play in the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, with the creation of a maritime humanitarian corridor through Cyprus, an initiative he also mentioned during the work of the EU Council summit.

President Christodoulides had publicly referred to the proposal earlier in the day, upon his arrival to the summit of the European People’s Party, and referred to it again as he arrived to the European Council summit.